Canada: Lone trucker runs over pedestrians, many killed; PM Trudeau reacts

Two people were killed in the Canadian town of Amqui while nine other pedestrians were injured after they were run over by a pickup truck, about 650 kilometers north of Montreal, authorities said. A 38-year-old local man was arrested shortly after the incident, whose exact nature remains unspecified. The police said that they are investigating if the accused ran over people on purpose or not.

The two deceased individuals are in their 60s and 70s, while of the nine injured individuals, two are said to be in critical condition. The injured were transported to a hospital in Quebec city by the emergency responders.

Accident reconstruction experts are working to establish the circumstances of the crash, Quebec police spokeswoman Sergeant Helene St-Pierre told news agency AFP.

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"Everything indicates that this is an isolated event," she said. "There is no more danger in the area and only one suspect."

Canada pickup truck crash: What happened?

Witnesses cited in thelocal Canadianmedia said that a truck hit several people on a sidewalk outside a popular microbrewery. The truckthen continued for another 400 to 500 meters (1,300 to 1,600 feet) along the road, striking more people.

The first responders reportedly found victims lying across the road and sidewalks on either side. A damaged stroller was said to be among the crash debris and early reports said children were among the injured. The authorities did not clarify if the children were among the injured.

Canada pickup truck pedestrian crash: When did it happen?

The incident reportedly occurred shortly after 3 pm on Amqui's main street on Monday, which has a population of roughly 6,000.

Some of them were transported to a hospital in Quebec City.

The province's public security minister, Francois Bonnardel, said on Twitter that preliminary information suggested a "serious accident" had taken place.

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"My heart is with the people of Amqui, Quebec today," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a Twitter message. "As we learn more about the tragic events that have taken place, I'm keeping everyone affected in my thoughts," he added.

The latest incident comes a month after a bus crashed into a daycare center in a Montreal suburb, killing two four-year-old children and leaving six more injured in what police then said was a deliberate act.

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